ESL Saigon

Verbs not normally used in continuous tenses

The below verbs are not usually used in continuous tenses. In some situations, the continuous form is used in idiomatic expressions or in definite action’s descriptions.

Thoughts or Feelings

Appear

Mean

Appreciate

Mind

Be

Miss

Believe

Need

Consider

Prefer

Desire

Realize

Dislike

Recognize

Doubt

Remember

Feel

Seem

Hate

Think

Know

Understand

Like

want

Love

Note:
These verbs are rarely used in a continuous tense. However, verbs like: think, consider, or mean sometimes appear in a continuous tense (especially in the Present Perfect Continuous).

Examples:
We need to discuss the situation.
We think that this is a serious issue.
We consider it to be a problem.
We want to make several improvements.
Bob is thinking about his problems.
We has been considering a variety of solutions.
He has been meaning to talk to you about it.
What I was meaning to say when you interrupted me is that ...
I was minding my own business when suddenly ...
He was being nice.
He’s being clever again (used in the opposite meaning that the person being spoken about is "pretending" to be this, often used sarcastically).
I’m missing you so much.
I was just thinking about you.
I’m thinking about buying a new car.
I’m liking this. (Became quite common after the emergence of the Coke ad below.)
I’m loving it! (Coke advert, which produced other similar expressions such as "I’m so loving this/that/it)".
They thought he was wanting in eloquence. (However, "wanting" is an adjective here meaning "lacking").

Perceptions

Feel

Smell

Hear

Sound

Look

Taste

See

Note:
These verbs sometimes appear in a continuous tense in a description of a specific action or in certain idioms.

Examples:
The ocean looks cold today.
The wind feels very cold and damp.
I am looking at the ocean now.
I am feeling a little seasick.

Possession

belong to

Own

Cost

Posses

Have

Note:
These verbs almost never appear in continuous tenses, except for the verb "have". In idiomatic use, "be having" has many meanings, including "be experiencing" or "be eating/drinking".

Examples:
We own a house in Vietnam.
It belongs to my wife and her sister.
We have been having fun lately.
We are having a party next week.